15. Extended School Year Services

Extended School Year Services (ESY) 

The Purpose of Extended School Year

Extended school year services are provided if the child’s IEP Team determines, on an individual basis, that the services are necessary for the provision of a FAPE. Extended School Year services mean special education and related services that are provided to a child with a disability beyond the normal school year in accordance with the child’s IEP, and are provided at no cost to the parents of the child.

‘’ Extended School Year" (ESY) services are typically provided during times when school is not normally in session to help eligible students maintain skills that are related to their Individual Education Plan goals and objectives, and when such services are necessary for the student to receive a FAPE. ESY is designed to maintain skills for a student who may otherwise suffer significant regression and require excessive time to recoup lost skills. Regression and recoupment are primary factors used to determine if a student is eligible for ESY services. Other factors, may be considered according to the professional judgment of the team. These may include emerging skills and breakthrough opportunities, and can use retrospective and predictive data/judgments.  ESY services are not the same as summer school, and should not be described as such. 

What is "regression" and "recoupment"?

• "Regression" means that, after a school break, a student loses more skills that would be expected of most students.

• "Recoupment" means that, after a school break, a student takes significantly longer to relearn skills than is expected of most students. Some standards indicate measuring recoupment time from six to nine weeks following an extended break from instruction to determine ESY eligibility. 

Extended School Year Services are not:

• Summer school (although ESY services may at times be provided in such a setting);

• To provide extra educational services--ones that would not otherwise be put on the IEP;

• To increase the student's skill level from what it was at the end of the school year;

• To teach new or different skills;

• To provide families summer activities for their children

• Required or intended to maximize educational opportunities for any student with disabilities. 

• To assist families with child care needs;

• Services provided because it would be "good" or "nice" for the student

• It is not for those students with disabilities who exhibit regression, which is solely related to medical problems resulting in degeneration, or transitional life     situations such as divorce or death of a family member. This type of regression is not due to the interruption of summer vacation.

• It is not required solely when a child fails to achieve IEP goals and objectives during the school year.

• It is not to provide a child with education beyond that is prescribed in his/her IEP goals and objectives.

The purpose of ESY services is the maintenance of the child’s learning skills or behavior, not the teaching of new skills or behaviors. This services is generally offered to students with the most profound severity of disability impact.  The District has established criteria for determining the need for ESY services. Criteria must include regression and recoupment time based on documented evidence of need. 

The IEP Teams may not limit ESY services to particular categories of disability or limit the type, amount, or duration of those services

ESY may include any such areas from an individual student’s IEP.

For example: 

• • Self-management (self-help)

  • Communication (speech and language)

  • Motor development

  • Social-emotional development

  • Vocational Skills

  • Behavioral Skills

  • Academic Skills

  • Regional services as appropriate:

  • Orientation and mobility training

  • Braille

  • Assistive Technology

Considering Participation in ESY

The IEP team must apply a set of criteria and follow established guidelines in considering students for participation in extended school year services and determining the extent of services to be provided. The IEP team must review and consider information gathered in all of the following areas before determining participation.

• • The severity of a student’s disability;

  • The student’s rate of progress;

  • The areas of the student’s curriculum that need continuous attention;

  • Emerging skills or breakthrough opportunities that would be lost without ESY services

  • The student’s vocational needs;

  • The nature of services needed

Who May Be Eligible for ESY?

Any school aged student, through age 21, who has not yet been awarded a standard high school diploma, and who is identified under the ADA/IDEA, may be eligible for ESY services. At least once a year, as part of the annual IEP meeting the student’s IEP team must consider if the student meets the eligibility criteria for receiving ESY services.

Extended School Year (ESY) Services Determination Procedures

ESY consideration is part of the IEP process for all students with disabilities. However, not all students with disabilities will be determined to need ESY services. The IEP team must use the district procedures and criteria to determine whether there is a need for ESY services as part of the annual IEP process.

• • If an IEP team member makes a judgment that ESY services may be appropriate for a student and current recoupment/retention data relating to the students IEP goals is not available for decision making, an  IEP meeting must be scheduled after data has been gathered. An ESY Data Determination Form shall be completed. 

  • If all IEP team members are in agreement that the student does not qualify for ESY services and ESY is not to be considered at a later date in the school year, the ESY Data Determination Form does not need to be completed.

  • Preparation for an IEP meeting includes gathering student data to inform the team’s decision regarding ESY services. The case manager should use the Worksheet for Extended School Year to prepare this information for the team. The case manager may also want to consider inviting the district special education administrator to the IEP meeting. This individual would assist the team in determining whether there is a need for ESY services.

  • The IEP team must determine a student meets one or more of the following criteria in order to determine a need for ESY services:

    • There is documented evidence that after an expected and reasonable period of time (i.e. six to nine weeks depending on the student's typical learning progression), student performance regressed significantly and/or the student failed to recoup previous performance toward IEP goals.

    • The student’s disability is severe (determined by degree of severity, not by category of disability), and there is documented evidence that the student’s rate or slope of progress is very minimal, despite a variety of documented, well planned interventions. Excluded in this criterion are students who are experiencing lack of progress due to other factors such as illness, frequent absence, disruption in his/her life, etc

    • Additional factors that are well documented, such as the student’s need for peer interaction, loss of emerging skills or breakthrough opportunities, and vocational needs, may also be considered when making an ESY determination.

    • If ESY services are offered, the services should be documented on the appropriate page of the IEP. If parents reject the offer, a prior written notice shall be completed to document the rejection. 

It is important for the IEP team to remember that the purpose of ESY is to maintain skills, not to introduce new skills or increase achievement levels. The team must tie ESY services directly to one or more goals on the student’s IEP. If the IEP team determines a need for ESY services, the specific service(s) and the amount of services must be determined and documented on the service summary page of the IEP. In addition, a copy of the completed Worksheet for Extended School Year must be attached to the IEP and the original sent to the Student Services office along with the complete IEP paperwork. 

Data Collection

Data collection regarding regression/recoupment must be taken for any student for whom ESY is being considered or is marked yes on the IEP document. This data collection must be documented on the Extended School Year Data Determination Form. Data collection is taken just prior to major school breaks such as summer, winter and spring breaks, and then again within at least six weeks following the break. 

• • If a student shows no regression or makes adequate recoupment of skills after a reasonable period as stated above, the student does not qualify for ESY.

  • As part of the provision of a FAPE to a student, the district is obligated under law to provide ESY services if deemed necessary by the IEP team. However, there may be situations when the parent chooses not to have the student participate. Factors such as family vacations, summer residence with an out-of-state parent, family preference to participate in an alternative educational program, or family preference simply not to participate in ESY could interfere with the student receiving ESY services.

  • If a parent indicates for any reason their intent to reject ESY services for their child, document this on the in a prior written notice of Special Education Action. Notify Student Services so that a stand ready letter may be prepared for the parents.

  • The Student Services office needs time each year to plan for staffing, staff training, and provision of services. ESY service providers need time to plan specific instruction for students. Please be sensitive to these needs and make every effort to have all paperwork into the Student Services office by April 15 of each year.  Please prepare a tentative list of probable eligibility for ESY prior to spring break.

Case Manager Duties for ESY

Case managers who have determined a student is eligible for ESY services, must prepare the following in the spring:

• • Information for district staff responsible for ESY regarding the needs of students on your caseload, including the need for related services;

    • Materials and data recording sheets specific to the content areas that will be addressed through ESY.

    • Collaborate with the ESY teacher who will be working with your student(s) to develop an appropriate ESY program.

Note: All Learning Specialists who have a child on their caseload who will be receiving ESY services must meet with the child’s ESY teacher to provide child specific information, most current IEP, ESY materials (if appropriate), behavior support plans, and any additional protocols that will be needed by the ESY team to implement IEP services. Use the “sign-off” section below to document that this has occurred. The completed form must be presented to Student Services for both the Learning Specialist and ESY teacher by April 15. (Page may be duplicated as needed).

You will also need to complete the following activities in the fall:

• • Review the report you receive from the ESY teacher concerning the student’s participation and progress in the ESY program;

  • Consider information provided by the ESY teacher when planning the student’s program for the coming year;

  • File the ESY report in the student’s Working File.

  • Take data on the student’s performance to see whether the student actually progressed with ESY services and to determine whether the amount and type of services were adequate. 

Facilitating the decision making process:

• • Keep in mind:

  • The purpose of ESY is maintenance of the child’s learning skills or behaviors related to the IEP goals – not the teaching of new skills or behaviors.

  • Most students, disabled and non-disabled, regress when there is a long break in schooling and take some time to recoup lost skills or behaviors when school is resumed. ESY services are provided to mitigate severe regression and/or significant difficulty in recoupment of skills that result from a break in school.

    • • “Regression” means significant loss of skills or behaviors in any area specified on the IEP as a result of an interruption in education services.

      • “Recoupment” means the recovery of skills or behaviors specified on the IEP to a level demonstrated before the interruption of education services.

• Criteria for ESY eligibility MUST include regression and recoupment data, preferably as it relates to summer break. Winter or spring breaks do not usually provide a significant enough time period of interruption in school services to be meaningful in determination of the need for ESY services. However, if data for summer break are not available, then regression and recoupment data related to winter and spring break may be considered by the team. When collecting regression and recoupment data, the following standards must be used:

  • • • • Performance over time (as opposed to single data points) must be used. For example, when documenting student performance on weekly CBM reading probes, scores for the month prior to and after the break would be the minimum time frame to consider.

• • Data are collected and the need for ESY is determined based on specific IEP goals.

  • It is important to differentiate between regression with a lack of recoupment and data that reflect erratic student performance. (i.e., big swings in performance both prior to and after the break)

    • • •  Additional factors that may be considered include:

• • • • The child’s rate of progress (in comparison to other students with disabilities)

      • Emerging skills or break-through opportunities that have recently occurred and would be lost without ESY services

Completing the ESY Worksheet

• Plan on addressing ESY at the annual IEP meeting if at all possible. There is rarely a need to schedule a special IEP meeting for the sole purpose of ESY consideration.

• The worksheet is designed to be used at an IEP meeting, though it is suggested that case managers collect, organize, and complete an initial analysis of the regression/recoupment data prior to the meeting.

• The regression and recoupment data section is required in all cases.

• The “Other Factors to Consider” section may be used for students whose regression and recoupment data did not validate the need for ESY. While more than one may apply to a given student, the team is required to document the need for ESY through just one of these factors (rate of progress or break-through opportunities).

• Thorough documentation and explanation of the team’s thinking is required. Insufficient information on the worksheet (such as simply writing, “His disability is very severe”) will result in the team having to hold a second meeting to determine the need for ESY.

• The “Determination of Services” section is required for all students. When determining “level and type” of service, keep in mind:

• ESY is not intended to deliver services at the same level as during the school year.

• Generally, ESY service levels are 30%-50% of those during the school year. For example, if a student receives specially designed instruction in reading for 5 hours per week during the school year, a typical ESY program would be 1.5 to 2.5 hours per week.

• Typically the ESY program lasts 2-5 weeks, though individual students may require more or less time during the summer. The IEP team makes this determination.

• The team should not designate the size of the instructional group or number of days per week. Simply indicate amount of time per week and number of weeks.

•  If a student had ESY services during the prior summer, carefully consider regression/recoupment data in light of the ESY program provided. The student’s performance will help the team determine whether the prior year’s levels of services were adequate (if limited regression and recoupment happened within 6 weeks of school resuming), inadequate (if regression was significant and recoupment was not achieved within 6-9  weeks of school resuming), or more than necessary (the student had little or no regression or actually made gains in skills or behaviors targeted in ESY).

The following documents MUST be submitted to Student Services prior to a student being added to the ESY service provision list:

• A completed ESY Worksheet

• All protocols (behavior, medical, safety)

• Copy of the IEP with goals/objectives to be addressed during ESY highlighted

• Note: Student Services staff will arrange transportation services.

Prior Notice of Special Education Action

• Prior Notice of Special Education Action is completed providing notice to the parent that ESY services will or will not be provided for any child who was considered and determined yes or no.

• If a parent or guardian requests ESY services and the IEP team determines the student does not require ESY services, notify the Director of Student Services

• For students who are eligible to receive ESY services, it is the case manager’s responsibility to inform the parents that:

  • ESY is designed to maintain skills only during times when school is not regularly in session unless eligibility is due to other factors such as chronic, serious illness where the IEP team may make an alternative decision about service delivery. 

  • Bus route information will be provided by the bus company 1-2 weeks prior to the start of the program.

  • All Learning Specialists who case manage a child who has been determined to need ESY services must also complete the sign-off document.